Asparagus Crab Tarragon Bisque Shanachie Food

COLOSSAL CRAB ASPARAGUS BISQUE

Steps:

• Bring stock and bay leaves to a boil in a large pot. Cook asparagus until tender and add to stock pot. Melt butter in a separate saucepan and gently saute onions, celery, and carrots (mirepoix) until tender, then gradually add flour (with a non-reactive utensil such as a wooden spoon), and cook until similar to a roux. Transfer to the pot of stock to thicken soup. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves from soup. *Blend to a puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Add cream to the soup, and keep warm over low heat.
• For the crab "souffle," mix crab, mayonnaise, thyme, salt and pepper, and squeeze of fresh lemon juice, trying to avoid breaking up the lumps of crabmeat. Place a scoop of the crabmeat in the center of soup bowl and ladle the asparagus soup around. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

ASPARAGUS WITH CREAMY TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with foil.
• Add the asparagus in a single row to the prepared sheet tray. Drizzle with the olive oil, toss, and then season with some salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 15 minutes.
• Serve on a bed of spring mix and drizzle with the Creamy Herb Vinaigrette.
• Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, tarragon and shallots to a bowl and whisk until smooth and emulsified.

ASPARAGUS AND GREEN BEANS WITH TARRAGON LEMON DIP

Steps:

• Cook asparagus spears and green beans in 1-inch of salted boiling water, covered, for 3 or 4 minutes. Drain and cool the vegetables and arrange them on a serving plate. Combine the dip ingredients in a small bowl and garnish with sprigs of parsley and tarragon and set dip along side vegetables on serving dish.

EASY CREAMY CRAB AND ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Cook and stir the bacon and onion in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir the garlic and yellow bell pepper into the bacon mixture; cook and stir together another 2 minutes.
• Mix the diced potato, asparagus, crabmeat, skim milk, half-and-half, salt, and black pepper into the bacon mixture; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

CRAB AND ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter. Stir in the flour, seafood seasoning, salt, pepper and nutmeg until blended; gradually add water and bouillon. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in potatoes. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes., Add asparagus; cook 8-12 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cream and crab; heat through. If desired, sprinkle with parsley and pepper.

DUNGENESS CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• Remove the claws from the crabs and quarter the bodies. Heat a 6-quart stockpot. Add the oil and saute the crab pieces until they are red. Remove the pieces as they are cooked. Add the carrot, celery, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and tarragon and continue to saute for 10 minutes. Pour in the cognac and ignite. When the flame has subsided, deglaze with white wine, and add the tomato paste, crab, and enough fish stock to cover. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, and bay leaf and boil gently for 15 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, reduce the cream by half. Remove the crab bodies from the pot and set aside. Add the reduced cream to the soup. Puree the soup, in batches, in a food processor. Strain the pureed soup and keep warm.
• Remove the meat from the claws and cut into bite-size pieces and add to the soup. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve in heated soup bowls and garnish with minced chives or parsley.

ASPARAGUS, CRAB & TARRAGON BISQUE SHANACHIE

Steps:

• Slice the asparagus tips (about 1- 1 1/2 inches) off the spears and reserve. Slice the asparagus spears into thin slices.
• In a large soup pot, combine all the ingredients except the crab and the asparagus. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.
• Bring to a simmer, then let the vegetables soften and the flavors meld for about 10 minutes. DO NOT allow the liquid to boil at this time.
• Make the roux: add the butter to a sautee pan under medium heat; when the butter has melted, add the flour, mix until the flour has cooked but retains a light color (about 5-7 minutes).
• NOTE: any extra roux can be frozen and used at a later time.
• Puree the liquid and vegetables, preferably using an immersion blender. If you must use a stand blender (or food processor), put in small batches (no more than 1/3-1/2 the volume of the blender container), so you don't send hot liquid all around and burn yourself.
• Strain through a chinois (china cap) or through cheesecloth.
• Return the liquid to the soup pot, bring to a boil, and thicken with the roux. Turn the heat down so the liquid simmers but does not boil. Adjust seasonging (salt and pepper) as needed.
• Add the crab and heat for 20-30 minutes.
• Add the asparagus slices (but NOT the tips) to the soup, allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) as needed.
• Plate into individual soup bowls, garnish with asparagus tips. Serve hot.

ASPARAGUS WITH MORELS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Put morels, porcinis or both in a bowl with very hot water to cover; soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain morels and reserve soaking liquid. Cut morels in half; if porcinis are large, chop them roughly.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when butter is hot and foam has subsided, add shallots and reconstituted and fresh mushrooms to pan. Cook until shallots soften and fresh mushrooms have released their liquid and it has cooked off, about 10 minutes.
• Add asparagus and 1/2 cup reserved liquid to pan. Bring liquid to a boil, cover, reduce heat so mixture simmers, and continue cooking for another 2 to 4 minutes, or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add cream and tarragon or chervil and continue cooking, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly and asparagus is tender, about 4 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• If using live crabs, add to pot of boiling water using tongs. Cover pot and cook over high heat until crab shells are red, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain crabs in a colander.
• Put crabs (cooked or frozen uncooked) into a large metal roasting pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and pound shells with meat pounder to crush (including claws).
• Heat butter and oil in same pot over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, carrot, celery, and garlic with bay leaf, thyme, clove, peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add Cognac, wine, and crushed crabs and bring to a boil. Add broth and water and return to a boil. Skim foam, then simmer, covered, stirring and skimming occasionally, 1 hour.
• Put colander in a large bowl, then drain crab broth, reserving solids for crab butter (if making). Transfer broth to a medium saucepan.
• Ladle out 2 cups broth and transfer to a 1-quart saucepan. Add rice and simmer, covered, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes (not all of liquid will be absorbed).
• Blend together rice with cooking liquid and 1 cup more crab broth in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then add to remaining broth in medium saucepan.
• Just before serving, reheat bisque over medium heat until hot, then stir in tarragon, lemon juice, cayenne, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
• Ladle bisque into bowls and spoon a little crabmeat into center, then drizzle with some of crab butter (if making).

ASPARAGUS WITH TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Trim woody ends from asparagus.
• Place the asparagus in a large frying pan with about 1 inch of boiling water.
• Cover with lid and cook for about 6-8 minutes, until the asparagus is tender but still firm.
• Drain well.
• Arrange the asparagus spears on a warmed serving dish.
• Make the tarragon butter by creaming together the remaining ingredients; heat it gently and pour over asparagus.
• Serve at once.

ASPARAGUS GOAT CHEESE TART WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 16-inch square and fit into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll a rolling pin over top of tart to trim pastry flush with top of rim. Chill pastry shell while making filling.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. with a baking sheet on lowest rack.
• In a small skillet, cook scallions in butter with salt to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute, and cool.
• In a steamer set over boiling water, arrange asparagus slices and top with reserved tips. Steam asparagus, covered, until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes, and drain well, reserving tips separately.
• In a blender, blend eggs, goat cheese, milk, and salt with pepper to taste. Add tarragon and pulse custard to combine.
• Spread scallions and asparagus slices in pastry shell and arrange reserved tips decoratively on top. Pour custard slowly over vegetables.
• Bake tart in pan on heated baking sheet in oven 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F. and bake tart until set, about 8 minutes. Transfer tart in pan to a rack.
• Remove rim of pan and serve tart warm or at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS CRAB QUICHE

Steps:

• Place asparagus in a large saucepan with enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well and pat dry. Arrange cooked asparagus over bottom of pastry. Top with crabmeat. Combine Swiss cheese and flour; sprinkle over crab. , In a small bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and hot pepper sauce. Pour into pastry. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Arrange fresh asparagus spears, spoke fashion, on top of quiche. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

ASPARAGUS BISQUE

Steps:

• Thaw the asparagus.
• Combine all ingredients in saucepan.
• Bring to a boil; simmer covered 8 - 12 minutes or until asparagus is tender.
• Process with blender until smooth.
• Pour into bowl.
• Serve hot or cover and chill at least 4 hours.

ASPARAGUS WITH TARRAGON SHERRY VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Steam asparagus on a steamer rack set over boiling water, covered, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes (depending on thickness), then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
• Whisk together vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in tarragon.
• Halve egg and force each half through a coarse sieve into a bowl. Toss asparagus with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette and divide among 4 plates. Spoon remaining dressing over asparagus and top with egg.

ASPARAGUS WITH MORELS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Cook white and green asparagus separately in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes for white asparagus; about 3 minutes for green asparagus.
• Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water (to stop cooking), then drain again. Pat dry.
• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallots, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add morels and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, tarragon, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter and sauté, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve immediately.

ROASTED TARRAGON ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Place asparagus in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, at 450° for 13-15 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning occasionally. Sprinkle with tarragon.

ASPARAGUS IN TARRAGON HOLLANDAISE SAUCE GOOD AND FANCY!

Steps:

• Bring large pot of salted water to boil and choose a stainless steel mixing bowl that will sit on top of the pot without touching the water.
• Cut off the bottom of asparagus spears where they turn light colored and tough. If asparagus is thick (which is how I prefer it), peel bottom 2/3 of each spear with a sharp vegetable peeler.
• Whisk egg yolks in mixing bowl with lemon juice, water, salt and a few grindings of black pepper and set aside.
• Boil asparagus until it's tender but still has some snap, 4 to 6 minutes. Test it by holding a spear by the bottom with tongs held horizontally; it should be limp and bend like a bow toward the floor.
• When it's cooked, use tongs to remove asparagus from water and arrange on warm platter.
• Put bowl of sauce ingredients on top of rapidly boiling water and whisk vigorously until it is very thick and foamy. This will take only 2 to 3 minutes and you will easily be able to sense the point when the sauce becomes custardy and fully cooked.
• Whisk in butter and, when it's incorporated, add tarragon.
• Pour sauce over asparagus, or pass it separately in a serving bowl, and serve right away.

ASPARAGUS WITH HAZELNUTS AND TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Pour water into large pot to depth of 1 inch and bring to boil. Place asparagus on steamer rack set over water in pot. Cover pot and steam until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus to bowl of ice water and cool. Drain. Place asparagus on paper towels. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Combine shallots, vinegar, tarragon and mustard in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place baby lettuces on large platter. Arrange asparagus atop lettuces. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with hazelnuts.

ASPARAGUS CRAB AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Place asparagus in a greased 1-qt. baking dish.
• Top with crab and cheese and set aside.
• In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter.
• Stir in flour until smooth.
• Whisk in milk, mustard, salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice.
• Pour over asparagus.
• Melt remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs.
• Sprinkle over top.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through.